Beacons are known from the prior art which are designed to equip airborne machines or other vehicles. These beacons are activated either automatically when an aircraft accident occurs, or manually in a situation considered as critical in order to inform remote rescue means of the identification data and the geographical position of the aircraft in distress.
The national regulations fix the number and the location of the distress beacons which must be carried within each vehicle. Generally speaking, aircraft are equipped with two beacons, namely a beacon referred to as automatic and a portable survival beacon. When they are active, these beacons transmit radio distress signals designed to be received by a constellation of satellites forming for example part of the COSPAS-SARSAT system.
The automatic beacon is a distress beacon integrated into the equipment of the aircraft and connected to an external transmission antenna of the aircraft. It is generally fixed to the primary structure of the aircraft, for example under a false-ceiling. It is equipped with various functional modules, notably for triggering its activation and ensuring its identification. The electronic modules are enclosed within its housing, whereas an integrated impact detector is mounted onto the latter. It can be activated by remote control by a voluntary action of the pilot from the cockpit, or else it is triggered automatically in the case of a violent impact by means of the integrated impact detector.
The survival beacon is on the other hand removable. It is usually kept in the aircraft main cabin and is readily accessible to the members of the crew. It is designed to be taken away and/or actuated in the case of a situation considered to be critical by the members of the crew, or even by survivors in the case of an accident. It is equipped with functional modules enclosed within its housing for triggering its activation, ensuring its identification and its localization. It may also be triggered by a sensor sensitive to the presence of water.